Tag Archives: Kodachrome

Warriors’ Path State Park

Leave a reply

 

This is how the Park looked in the early 1960s.  It was published by Roanoke’s Haynes Distributing Company. The company did a photo run through our area in the early 1960s and C. H. Ruth seems to have been their go-to guy for airplane shots.   These cards are called “chromes”, since Kodachrome was the film of choice then.

I’d heard a story that this park grabbed the State Park designation from what is now Steele Creek Park (it was going to be Watauga State Park) in Bristol and, thus, left Bristolians sad and bereft.  The dates don’t add up, though.  There were plans to make Steele Creek a State Park, but organizers had given up on that in 1945.  The land for WPSP was acquired from TVA in 1952, a year before the dam was completed.

Steele Creek Park, a city park, came about in 1964.  Many Bristolians I’ve talked to have fond memories of enjoying this park when they were kids.  It’s still just fine.  Good hiking trails!  And a LOT of ducks.

 

The Magnificent (?) Hammond Bridge

Leave a reply

hammondfront hammondback

Calvin Sneed’s posted this 1929 bridge here with all the appropriate descriptions (Calvin knows more about bridges than anyone else I know – given that I don’t actually know a lot of people who have any interest in bridges, but, Calvin, he’s a bridge boffin straight up.  At the time this postcard picture was taken (1961 or 62)*, the bridge was two-way.  When I got out of the service and got a job, I bought a 1966 Volkswagen.  Even with that car, this bridge was a white-knuckler if a truck was coming the opposite way when it was snowing, in the dark.
Anyway, I think this bridge is utilitarian, rather than “magnificent”.  This view is looking east. In  1969, they built the wider steel bridge, just to this side of this one. Whew.

Incidentally, this bridge replaced a 1900 Pactolus Ferry bridge, which crossed the Holston River near (my correction to earlier prepositions)  where the Ft. Patrick Henry Dam is now.  Before the bridge, there actually was a ferry there.

*Haynes Distributing Company in Roanoke had their photographer/agent Joyce L. Haynes in this area in 1961 and 1961.  Shooting Kodachrome, probably.  This type of postcard is called a “chrome”.

Model City Motel

2 Replies

modelcitymotel
Here we area at 3109 Bristol Hi-way in the late 40s or early 50s.  Published by Fred W. Stanley, Johnson City, Tenn. It’s a Dextone “Made Direct from Kodachrome and Ansco Color By Dexter Press, Inc. West Nyack, N.J.”  Postally unused.

On the back:

MODEL CITY MOTEL
New and Strictly Modern
Located 1 1/2 miles from downtown Kingsport, Tenn. on U.S. Hi-way 11-W.  Away from the city noise. For reservations, phone 4309 or write Model City Motel, 3109 Bristol Hi-way, Kingsport, Tenn.  Owned and operated by Charlie Chase and James McAinch.

(The “McAinch” is a typo.  It should be “McAninch”.  In 1959 Charlie Chase and Bobby McAninch were listed as the owners of this bide-a-wee)

Excellent Litho Post Card

Leave a reply

statestreet

statestreetback

This is a 1907 or so post card.  The postmark is Nov 11, 1908.
Before World War I, quality post cards were lithographed in Germany.  They’re just excellent cards.  Remember, color film was not made commercially available in the United States until around 1936, with the introduction of 35mm size Kodachrome.  This was a factory-colored black & white positive, probably sent in with color notations from the photographer.  It’s a beautiful card.  (Note that some uncaring dealer has defaced that card back with a penciled-in price)
The divided back post card only became acceptable for postal use in 1907.

In the card, there’s not a car in sight, but there is a Coca-Cola sign.

It was published by Souvenir Post Card Co. in New York.